This invention relates to an apparatus and system for securing and managing inventory, such as an article security tag and security tag release device, and point of sale terminal.
Various types of containers are known for holding products such as in a retail store. Numerous security and inventory management systems have been developed such as theft detection tags, physical objects to be removed by the sales clerk, and bar codes. One exemplary product to be managed is information storage media, such as compact discs (CD""s) and digital video discs (DVD""s). An exemplary state of the art container for storage media is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,068 and WO97/41563, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
An exemplary problem with prior art containers for storage media is the theft of the storage media, e.g. the CD or DVD, from the container inside the retail store. Conventionally, containers are provided with an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tag that triggers an alarm if the container is taken out of the store without the EAS tag either being removed or rendered inactive by the store sales staff. One way to counter an EAS tag is simply to remove the storage media from the container. One method of countering this theft technique is to wrap the container in a clear plastic wrapper. The wrapper must be at least partially removed before the container can be opened. However, thieves have been known to slit the wrapper along an edge of the container and removed the storage media by manipulating the container. Moreover, thieves have developed additional techniques to include removing the EAS tag from the container or product.
U. K. Patent Application No. 00275537 (""537) describes an improved security tag that secures storage media inside the container. The security tag described in this application secures the storage media in the container and prevents the container from opening while the security tag is in place. However one potential problem with the ""537 application is that an employee or thief with access to a security tag removal system can circumvent this feature.
What is needed is an improved inventory management and theft deterrent system whereby a security tag, such as described in the ""537 application cannot be removed unless a sales transaction has occurred.
The invention provides an improved inventory management system whereby by a security tag is placed on an article for sale. The security tag is affixed to the article so that a packaging cannot be opened with the security tag in place. A device to remove the security tag is controlled by the point of sale terminal. The tag removal device will not operate unless a sales transaction takes place.